Method, Apparatus, and Program for Supporting Creation and Management of Metadata for Correcting Problem in Dynamic Web Application

1. An apparatus for supporting creation and management of metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application, the apparatus comprising: a metadata creation section configured to create metadata M 1 , in response to correction of a problem in a web application by a corrector, the metadata M 1 including operation information indicating an operation for correcting the problem and application conditions of the operation information, and the application conditions including semantic block information including a location at which the problem has occurred in a Web page and a global variable group and cookie information that identify the state of the web application in which the problem has occurred; an operation-log storage section configured to store an operation log on the web application by the corrector; a similar-block search section configured to calculate metadata, for each of one or more blocks B 0 that match the block information of the metadata M 1 of blocks in the Web page that has shifted during a correction operation, with reference to the operation log read from the operation-log storage section, the metadata including a global variable group and cookie information that identify the state of the web application that has output the Web page including the blocks B 0 ; and a metadata generalizing section configured to convert each of the global variable groups and the cookie information acquired for the metadata M 1 and the individual blocks BO to a key-value pair structure, extracting a common portion therefrom, and updating the global variable groups and the cookie information of the metadata M 1 by using the extracted common portion.

2. The support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application further includes location information that locates the problem in the block information as the application conditions, the support apparatus further comprising: a metadata storage section configured to store metadata created in the past; a block extraction section configured to create, in response to location of a present problem in the web application by the corrector, block information including the location of the problem and location information that locates the problem in the block information; and a similar-metadata search section configured to extract matched metadata from the metadata storage section by using the block information and the location information created by the block extraction section as search keys and that presents the extracted metadata to the corrector to prompt the corrector to select existing metadata M 0 that is applicable to the location of the present problem, wherein the metadata creation section creates metadata M 2 for correcting the present problem in the web application with reference to operation information of the selected existing metadata M 0 .

3. The support apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the metadata generalizing section updates the existing metadata M 0 by generalizing the application conditions of the existing metadata M 0 by using the metadata M 2 .

4. The support apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application further includes, as the application conditions, address identification information that locates a Web page in which the problem has occurred, location information that locates the problem in the block information, and block identification information that locates the block information in the Web page at the occurrence of the problem, the support apparatus further comprising: a metadata storage section configured to store metadata created in the past; and a metadata verification section configured to verify application conditions of metadata created in the past, to extract matched metadata M 0 from the metadata storage section by using the address identification information, the global variable group, and the cookie information that identify the present state of the web application as search keys, to compare the block information of the metadata M 0 with a corresponding block in the Web page that the present web application has output, the corresponding block being extracted from the block identification information of the metadata M 0 , and if the blocks do not match, to present the metadata M 0 to the corrector to prompt the corrector to correct the metadata M 0 , and to receive the corrected block identification information, wherein the metadata generalizing section updates the existing metadata MO by generalizing the block identification information of the metadata MO by using the corrected block identification information.

5. A computer-readable program product for supporting creation and management of metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application, the program product comprising a tangible storage device readable by a computer for causing the computer to execute a method comprising: creating metadata M 1 in response to correction of a problem in a web application by a corrector, the metadata M 1 including operation information indicating an operation for correcting the problem and application conditions of the operation information, and the application conditions including semantic block information including a location at which the problem has occurred in a Web page and a global variable group and cookie information that identify the state of the web application in which the problem has occurred; calculating metadata, for each of one or more blocks BO that match the block information of the metadata M 1 of blocks in the Web page that has shifted during a correction operation, with reference to an operation log on the web application by the corrector, the metadata including a global variable group and cookie information that identify the state of the web application that has output the Web page including the blocks B 0 ; and converting each of the global variable groups and the cookie information acquired for the metadata M 1 and the individual blocks B 0 to a key-value pair structure, extracting a common portion therefrom, and updating the global variable groups and the cookie information of the metadata M 1 by using the extracted common portion.

6. The computer-readable program product according to claim 5 , wherein the calculation step (b) includes the substep (b-1) of, by the computer, presenting the one or more blocks BO that match the block information of the metadata M 1 to the corrector to prompt the corrector to select blocks SB to which the operation that the operation information of the metadata M 1 indicates is applicable, wherein the computer calculates metadata including the global variable group and the cookie information for each of the selected blocks SB.

7. The computer-readable program product according to claim 6 , wherein the update step (c) includes the substep (c-1) of, by the computer, extracting a key included in common in all the global variable groups or all the cookie information and extracting a key-value pair structure in which a value corresponding to the extracted key is common in all the global variable group or all the cookie information as the common portion.

8. The computer-readable program product according to claim 7 , wherein the update step (c) includes the substep (c-2) of, by the computer, further converting each of the values of the elements of an array object included in the global variable group or the cookie information to a key-value pair structure including a key for extracting the element and the value of the element.

9. The computer-readable program product according to claim 8 , wherein the update step (c) includes the substep (c-3) of, by the computer, if a value corresponding to a key included in common in all the global variable group or all the cookie information is an array object, performing the substep (c-1) on the individual elements of the array object.

10. The computer-readable program product according to claim 7 , wherein the update step (c) includes the substep (c-4) of, by the computer, converting a hierarchical object included in the global variable group or the cookie information to a key-value pair structure by dealing with the hierarchical object as an array whose values are variables.

11. The computer-readable program product according to claim 7 , wherein in the update step (c), the computer converts the cookie information formed of single information to a key-value pair structure in which the key and the value are the same.

12. The computer-readable program product according to claim 6 , where in the creation step (a), the computer obtains values for a global variable group and cookie information of a type that is preset in the computer as being effective in identifying the state of the web application and uses the values as the application conditions of the metadata Ml.

13. The computer-readable program product according to claim 5 , wherein the metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application further includes location information that locates the problem in the block information as the application conditions, the method further comprising the steps of: by the computer, (d) creating, in response to location of the present problem in the web application by the corrector, block information including the location of the problem and location information that locates the problem in the block information; (e) extracting matched metadata from a metadata storage section that stores metadata created in the past by using the created block information and location information as search keys and presenting the extracted metadata to the corrector to prompt the corrector to select metadata M 0 that is applicable to the location of the present problem; and (f) creating metadata M 2 for correcting the present problem in the web application with reference to operation information of the selected metadata M 0 .

14. The computer-readable program product according to claim 13 , further comprising the step of, by the computer, (g) updating the existing metadata M 0 by generalizing the application conditions of the existing metadata M 0 by using the metadata M 2 .

15. The computer-readable program product according to claim 5 , wherein the metadata for correcting a problem in a dynamic web application further includes, as the application conditions, address identification information that locates a Web page in which the problem has occurred, location information that locates the problem in the block information, and block identification information that locates the block information in the Web page at the occurrence of the problem, the method further comprising the steps of: calculating address information of the present Web page that the web application has output and a global variable group and cookie information that identify the present state of the web application; extracting matched metadata M 0 from a metadata storage section that stores metadata created in the past by using the calculated address information, global variable group, and cookie information as search keys; comparing the block information of the extracted metadata M 0 with a corresponding block in the Web page that the present web application has output, the corresponding block being extracted from the block identification information of the metadata M 0 , and if the blocks do not match, presenting the metadata M 0 to the corrector to prompt the corrector to correct the metadata M 0 , and receiving the corrected block identification information; and updating the existing metadata M 0 by generalizing the block identification information of the metadata M 0 by using the corrected block identification information.